USPS employees may participate in a webinar that will help explain how the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program and Medicare work in retirement. The session, “PSHB and Medicare in Retirement,” will be held Monday, July 14, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, a provider of health plans for […]
Last week, Link celebrated the Postal Service’s deep ties to the country it serves. This included a look at how the histories of the organization and the country are intertwined, and a new video that previews “Putting a Stamp on the American Experience.” The prestige booklet features a stamp of Benjamin Franklin, first postmaster general […]
Rural Carrier David Wyman was recently delivering mail in Auburn, ME, when he heard persistent banging coming from a customer’s house. Wyman approached the home and saw the man on the floor inside. The 94-year-old customer had fallen down several steps in the foyer and had lost consciousness until he heard Wyman’s USPS delivery vehicle […]
They say teamwork makes the dream work — a sentiment mail handlers Rachel Rodriguez and Chance Sweazey heartily endorse. “We are a team and have to move as a team,” Rodriguez said. “Nothing will get done working alone,” Sweazey added. The two are considered top performers at the Postal Service’s Columbus, OH, Processing and Distribution […]
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. What does the final scene in the video about the new 250 Years of Delivering stamps depict? a) A USPS employee hanging up a coat b) A woman writing a […]
The Postal Service has announced release dates for the next batch of this year’s stamps, along with the cities where dedication ceremonies will be held: • 250 Years of Delivering, Wednesday, July 23, Washington, DC; • SpongeBob SquarePants, Friday, Aug. 1, New York City; • Boston 2026 World Stamp Show, Thursday, Aug. 14, Schaumburg, IL; […]
Independence Day, the federal holiday that commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, is Friday, July 4. The day is meaningful for all Americans but has added significance for the Postal Service, whose history is inextricably linked with the nation’s fight for independence. On July 26, 1775, the Second Continental Congress established […]
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Michael Rakes has been named Atlantic Area’s vice president. He succeeds Scott Raymond, who retired June 27. As vice president, Rakes is responsible for 12 districts, 8,600 Post Offices, 128,000 employees and 35.6 million delivery points. Previously, Rakes served as Massachusetts-Rhode Island District manager; the Providence, RI, Processing and Distribution Center plant manager; and in […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.02 percent during the week ending June 27, down 0.41 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected July 2. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.3 percent, while Central ranked last with a 96.83 percent rating. Among the […]
Read More… from WestPac Area, Massachusetts-Rhode Island District on top in scanning
The Postal Service will implement the next phase in its service standard refinements on July 1, part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to better serve customers nationwide. Service standards indicate the expected number of days for delivery after a mailpiece is accepted by USPS. In March, the Postal Service announced service standard refinements to be […]
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With July 4 quickly approaching, the Postal Service is reminding customers that while fireworks are a fun way to celebrate Independence Day, they are strictly prohibited in the mail system. Fireworks of all kinds — including sparklers, firecrackers, bottle rockets and Roman candles — are considered hazardous materials and are banned from all air and […]
Read More… from Fireworks are fun, but they don’t belong in the mail
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Postal Service bargaining employees have until Tuesday, Aug. 19, and nonbargaining employees have until Tuesday, Aug. 26, to complete a cybersecurity training course. The CyberSafe Fundamentals course provides the information and best practices employees need to know to keep USPS electronic data secure. By taking the assigned course, employees will learn how to protect critical […]
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Link kicked off last week with a story on the enduring magic of the mailbox for high school seniors awaiting word on college acceptances. “I remember looking forward to the physical letters in the mail and I still have every one of them,” said Jamira Collins, a recent graduate of Northeastern University in Boston. She […]
Rural Carrier Dylan Mickelson was delivering mail in Frazee, MN, recently when he came upon a tool shed engulfed in flames. The Postal Service employee called 911 and alerted the homeowners, who had no idea that the structure was on fire. The homeowners’ daughter later sent a note to Mickelson thanking him. Employees featured in […]
The Postal Service has announced new stamps for its 2025 lineup. Holiday Cheer will be a set of four festive designs that will come in booklets of 20: a holly wreath, a trio of amaryllis flowers, cardinals perched on mistletoe and an evergreen branch adorned with fruit. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed […]
The Postal Service is asking employees who use multifactor authentication to add a backup security method. This will allow continued access to USPS systems and applications if the primary method becomes unavailable, such as when a smartphone is lost or not working. Employees who already have a secondary multifactor authentication method do not need to […]
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The unique hybrid entity known as the U.S. Postal Service — part business, part federal agency — had been in operation for roughly four years by 1975 and, like its new eagle emblem, was looking forward and poised for flight. The 1970s saw advances in automated mail processing, and USPS worked with business mailers to […]
My name is Tonia Lott and I’m a USPS strategic integration and communications advisor in Washington, DC. When I’m not at my job, I’m an advocate for mental health and suicide prevention. My advocacy work not only centers around prevention but breaking the stigma associated with depression, mental health and suicide. I authored a self-published […]
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The latest entry on Postal Posts, the USPS blog, encourages customers to keep their dogs on leashes or otherwise secured so that letter carriers can safely deliver the mail. Leeann Theriault, the Postal Service’s employee safety and health awareness manager, wrote the post, which was published June 20. […]
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A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.25 percent during the week ending June 20, down 0.09 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected June 25. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.44 percent, while Central ranked last with a 96.97 percent rating. Among the […]
Read More… from WestPac Area, Massachusetts-Rhode Island District on top in scanning
The ACE Toolbar, along with its associated tickertape, will be removed permanently from all ACE computers by Thursday, July 31. Most of the shortcuts the toolbar provides quick access to — such as the USPS Blue website, national applications and forms — can be accessed from Blue by selecting “My Work” at the top of […]
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In an increasingly digital world, high school seniors still get a thrill checking their mailboxes for acceptance letters and other correspondence from colleges and universities. Although social media is filled with viral videos of prospective collegians checking online portals to see if they were accepted to their dream schools, other students value receiving official word […]
Read More… from For news of their future, students look to the mail
Link had lots of business news to share last week, including the ratification of a new union contract. Members of the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, which covers more than 130,000 employees, approved a deal with the Postal Service that includes annual wage increases, semiannual cost-of-living adjustments and carrier retention measures. The agreement runs through […]
Letter Carrier Pjerin Kita was delivering mail in Shrewsbury, MA, recently when he saw a burning recycling bin next to a home. The flames were brushing against the house and melting the vinyl siding, producing a lot of smoke. The Postal Service employee threw the bin into the backyard, then used a bucket of rainwater […]
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar to learn tips to reduce stress and make time for themselves without feeling guilty. The session, “Self-Care for Parents,” will be held Tuesday, June 24, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from Kaiser Permanente, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will lead the […]
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar that will explore common causes of fatigue and ways to recharge. The session, “Recharge for Good: How to Overcome Fatigue,” will be held Wednesday, June 25, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.08 percent during the week ending June 13, down 0.28 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected June 18. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.32 percent, while Central ranked last with a 96.89 percent rating. Among the […]
Read More… from WestPac Area, Massachusetts-Rhode Island District lead in scanning